


Something Up Ahead

by EchoFour



Category: Steven Universe (Cartoon)
Genre: Beautiful World - Freeform, Established Relationship, F/M, Growing Up, Road Trips, Romance, finding yourself, relationship stress
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-04-03
Updated: 2020-04-03
Packaged: 2021-03-01 06:33:44
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,422
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23466943
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/EchoFour/pseuds/EchoFour
Summary: Steven's got a long road trip planned to find himself. Connie's trying to make time to visit, but she's got a lot on her mind too. Each meeting they share leaves them knowing themselves and each other a bit better. Maybe by the end they'll have figured themselves out.Snippets of Connie meeting Steven on the road and the times they share together.
Relationships: Connie Maheswaran/Steven Universe
Comments: 9
Kudos: 89





	Something Up Ahead

The methodical  _ thwip-thwap  _ of the windshield wipers had lulled Steven into near-autopilot for the past few hours. He hadn’t driven much in rain, but it wasn’t harsh enough to worry him. Just a gentle shower that seemed to cover the whole state, inescapable no matter how much he drove. But he didn’t mind. The bay had little inlets all along the road on both sides today, and when the road was especially busy or he needed a break, he’d parked near the highway and watched the rain falling on the water. He’d been away from the ocean for a few days, and he already missed it. It was nice to enjoy it for a while.

A bit lonely, though.

He stopped to snap a pic of himself with a road sign as he entered the next town, texting it to some family members back home before driving on.

_ Look, a whole town just for people like me! Why’d nobody take me to Stevensville before? _

He was grinning all the way into town as his phone chimed in his pocket, and by the time he parked in his stopping point for the night he had replies from everyone. He fired back quick responses to each, nothing warranting a reply, but stopped late on the last message.

_ ❤️Connie❤️: You’re so close! Text me the second you get there! _

He sent back a picture of himself with his destination in the back, a houseboat floating in the waters of the bay.  _ About to board the USS BnB! Can’t wait to see you tomorrow! _

_ I’ve missed you so much. I’ll call tonight for a last check-in! Love you! _

Steven got a happy little thrill reading the words.  _ Love you too!  _ He put his phone away and wrestled his umbrella out of the backseat. It felt a little odd using something so clunky instead of, say, projecting a barrier overhead or summoning his shield to block the rain. But Steven was trying to live like a human as much as he could. So he popped the umbrella out, tugging his jacket around his shoulders, and rushed up the ramp towards the bed and breakfast. He gave the door a quick drumming with his knuckles and waited patiently.

It only took a moment. “Hello, dear!” An older woman came to the door, face deeply lined with age, but smiling warmly.

Steven glanced at his phone, checking the confirmation email. “Hello, Anita?” He watched her eyes for any sign of confusion, and when there was none he continued, “I’m Steven. I’ve got a room for two rented for the night?”

“Yes, come in! I’ve got everything ready for you.” The boat shifted a bit under his heels as he stepped over the threshold, rocking in the waves. “Anything I need to know about you?”

He stopped cold just over the doorway, heart pounding in his chest. He couldn’t tell if the swaying he felt was his own knees or the houseboat beneath him. Anita turned to look at him again. “Are you alright?”

“I… I’m fine.” He relaxed. She didn’t know anything. She didn’t need to know. Everything was under control, and this far from Beach City no one would think anything different. “And, nope! Nothing you need to know at all.” He absently smoothed down the front of his shirt, ignoring the bump he felt where a belly button could have been, and he smiled back as he followed her.

She led him down a tight stairway into a small, well-kept cabin with a window out onto the bay. “The bed’s big enough for two, but is someone joining you later? The reservation had a Connie listed.”

“Oh, that’s my best…” Steven paused. “My girlfriend, actually. She’ll be here in the morning for breakfast. That’s okay, right? Just me for the night but two meals in the morning?”

She chuckled and shrugged. “It’s your boat for the night. One or two makes no difference to me.” She ushered him back, and he led the way back up the stairs. “I’ll give you a quick tour and the keys, and you’ll have the place to yourself. I’ll be back to make breakfast at nine, so be dressed if you wanna be out and about!”

He agreed, and after a short tour and a check to make sure the keys worked, he was alone again as Anita headed to a tiny house a short walk away, a hooded jacket keeping the rain off.

He turned around in the houseboat. It wasn’t big, only a couple of rooms. But for the night, it was his. He’d had hotels and motels before, but nothing like this. Not a whole place to call his own, at least for a while.

He walked out on his deck, wiped down a chair, and sat with his umbrella to watch the rain on the bay until it was too dark to see.

* * *

Lion always found him, Steven had learned. No matter where he was, if Lion was told to find him, he could do it without another word. So to give himself a bit of privacy, he walked down the beach and made sure Anita was nowhere near before he texted Connie to come.

It only took a few seconds for the portal to roar to life and Connie to ride her trusted companion through, throwing up sand and dirt as he skid to a stop. Connie leapt off Lion’s back to tackle Steven with a hug, and they both laughed.

“I missed you!” Connie squealed. “Oh, gosh. Calling and facechat are nice, but I didn’t realize how bad it was going to be.”

Steven laughed and squeezed her tight. “I know. It’s nice being away from all my problems, but oof, it’s lonely on the road.”

She nuzzled into his neck, then swept her head up into a light kiss that he was happy to return. It was still new, and a little exciting, and it left them both blushing when she pulled away. But it wasn’t as big as he’d expected. Not worth making a big deal over every time, even if his heart was fluttering and his feet left the ground for a moment after a week apart. 

Lion snuffled and pushed up to him, and Steven gave him long strokes through his mane. “Hey, buddy. I’ve missed you too, but maybe you should take a run so you don’t scare anybody.” He gave Steven’s hands a lick before obeying, running off over the waters of the bay. “Wanna head inside, Connie? It’s still a bit before Anita--uh, that’s the owner--said she’d come around with breakfast.”

“Sure! Take me aboard, captain.” Connie beamed, and they walked hand in hand back up the beach towards the houseboat.

“So, how’s studying?” Steven asked. He leapt from the beach to the ramp leading up to the boat and held out a hand to help her up.

“Oh, you know. Same as ever.” She pulled herself up and over the railing with barely a sound, still as strong as ever. “Trying to take my breaks is a little harder when you can’t always call, but I’m trying to use it to draw and stuff. I’ve read I need the breaks to let things settle so I don’t forget the things I’m studying, so I have to take them.”

“And you need them for you, too, right? So you don’t go crazy?” Steven unlocked the door and pushed through.

“Mmm, yeah. That’s true.” She looked around and whistled. “Swanky digs, Steven!”

He laughed. “This is the nicest place I’ve stayed for sure.” He leaned back against the dining table, closing his eyes to feel the boat rocking. “I wish you’d been here. The waves against the boat put me to sleep in like ten seconds.”

“I’m here now.” She smiled and sat on the couch built into the inside wall of the boat. “Come talk to me. I wanna hear about your trip!”

Steven sidled in beside her, and his arm slid around her shoulders as hers wrapped over his lower back. They leaned on each other. “The one I’ve sent you pictures of and called about at least once every day?”

Connie rolled her eyes. “Steven, you’ve been on a road trip and I’ve been studying. Which one do you think is more interesting to talk about?”

He bumped his head against hers. “I love talking about anything that’s important to you.”

Even without looking, he could feel the heat from her ears. “That’s sweet of you. But, um, I’m supposed to be taking a break, right? I don’t wanna talk about societal structures or political theory or, ugh,  _ calculus. _ I wanna hear about you.” She squeezed his middle. “You’ve told me about what you’re doing, but how’s the trip doing for you? Is it what you needed? Are you going to keep going?”

“I’m totally still going. There’s so much to see!” He grinned. “Y’know, it’s funny. I’ve told tons of gems how great Earth is, but I haven’t really seen a lot of it myself? But that’s all changing now!” His bright beaming smile slowly softened. “And… it’s nice, you know. I’m out of Beach City, and I haven’t seen a gem in days. Not even a video call home. People out here  _ know  _ about gems, from the corrupted gems that have been disappearing and maybe a little news out about gems from out where we live, but it’s far off. It’s not part of their lives.” His hand fell to his belly. “So even if they see mine, it’s just a piercing to them. Something cute. Nobody thinks I’m anything other than human.”

“And that’s… good?” Connie gave him a hesitant smile.

“It’s amazing.” His eyes shone. “It’s lonely. But nobody out here ever expects me to be anything other than Steven.”

There was a pause, and both of them squeezed a little tighter. “I never expected more than that,” Connie said quietly. “Did you ever think…”

“Never,” Steven promised. “You always wanted me to be me. And I wish I said thanks more. If everyone had treated me like you did, I wouldn’t have needed space so much.”

“Thank you.” She turned her head towards him, so she was speaking right into his ear, her voice soft and low like she was telling him a deeply hidden secret. “I miss you a lot. I don’t get a lot of hugs when you’re not around. I didn’t realize how much I needed them. I don’t really have a touchy family.”

“I know the feeling. Strangers don’t hand out hugs just for being human. Worst part of being lonely is _definitely_ no cuddles on the road.” He turned and put his other arm around her. “We’ll have to cuddle extra when you’re here.”

She giggled. “Yes, please.”

The talk never came quite back around to anything serious. Anita came and called them a cute couple, and she served the blushing pair waffles and eggs before retreating back to her own home. They took their meals out on the deck, pushing their chairs together so they could stay side by side as they ate, never more than a few feet apart. And then they cuddled again while they looked out over the bay, resting and relaxing without a word needing to be said.

It wasn’t until Connie’s phone chimed that they finally broke apart. “Oh… it’s ten.” She sighed. “It went so fast.”

“You’re sure you can’t stay a little longer? It’s Saturday!” Steven gave her a weak smile. “Don’t you take days off sometimes?”

She squeezed his hand, but it didn’t stop her from standing up. “Maybe sometimes, but I’ve gotta do four years of high school in two. I can’t just stop moving whenever I want. One failed test or bad grade, and the whole thing gets set back.”

He sighed, but he stood with her, wrapping her up to hug as long as he could. “At least you’re done soon, right? A few more months and high school will be over?”

“Yeah. No cram school this summer. Just gotta stick it out until May.” She blew out a puff of air. “I’m so close. I can’t take a break.”

“Well… okay.” He pulled away long enough to kiss her cheek. “But don’t forget to make time to visit.”

“I will. Weekend after next, right?” Connie tapped her phone to look at her schedule, and Steven tried to ignore how packed the screen was.

“Uh, yeah.” He rubbed his neck. “But, you know, if you ever have an evening free, I’m usually not driving at night.”

She scrolled, eyes still fixed to her activities. “I don’t usually have nights free. But I’ll try.”

“So… hey, where’s Lion?” Steven’s heart jumped a bit. “He must’ve run off. Do we need to track him down together?”

Connie scanned the beach. There was no sign of their furry companion, but she didn’t move. “No, he’s coming.”

And his heart sank again. “You see him?”

“No, I just…” She blushed just a little. “Don’t make fun, but we have a connection? I’m sure it’s all him, I’m not the magic one, but I can  _ feel _ him. He knows when I need him, and I sort of know where he is. At least, when he wants me to.”

“Oh. That’s really cool!” Steven put on a smile. “I’m glad you guys are so connected. He must really love you a lot.” True to her word, Lion bounded around the corner to look up at them on the boat.

“Hey.” Connie turned his head back towards her. “It’s okay to be sad. I’ll miss you too.”

He sighed, his hand coming up to cover hers. “I’m obvious. I’m sorry, I don’t want to be clingy, but--”

“It’s not clingy. We haven’t been so far apart before. It’s hard.” She raised on her toes to kiss him. “But we’ll be okay.”

“...Okay.” He dropped his hand, and she did the same. They stepped apart. “I’ll call you tonight when I get to the next hotel.”

“And I’ll make sure to have lots to talk about when you do.” She grinned, then leapt over the side of the boat to land gracefully on Lion’s back. “See you soon!”

They waved, and Steven kept waving until Lion carried her out of sight. He heard the roar of a portal opening to take them home, and only then did his hand drop to the railing of the houseboat.

“See you soon.”


End file.
